Harley-Davidson has announced the latest additions to its limited-edition Harley-Davidson Icons Motorcycle Collection and the limited-run Enthusiast Motorcycle Collection, showcasing premium factory-direct custom paint and graphic treatments and paint application technology. Both collections are available now at authorized Harley-Davidson dealers, and for those heading to Daytona Bike Week, March 2-9, the bikes will also be displayed there at the Harley-Davidson Event Display Area at Daytona International Speedway.
The Harley-Davidson Icons Motorcycle Collection is an annual program for the limited release of a new model that offers a fresh interpretation of an iconic Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Each model is individually numbered and produced only once.
The Enthusiast Motorcycle Collection models celebrate Harley-Davidson riders and are inspired by their stories and legacies. This collection of Harley-Davidson motorcycles is available in limited quantities – no more than 2,000 per model – across a curated selection of three motorcycle models.
The 2024 Harley-Davidson Enthusiast collection
Harley-Davidson Icons Motorcycle Collection: Hydra-Glide Revival Model
The 2024 Hydra-Glide Revival model, the fourth installment in the Harley-Davidson Icons Motorcycle Collection, celebrates the 75th anniversary of the 1949 introduction of the Hydra-Glide telescopic front suspension for Harley-Davidson E and F models. The 2024 Icons model is inspired by the look of the motorcycles ridden in era of the upcoming film The Bikeriders, which follows the rise of a Midwestern motorcycle club as seen through the lives of its members. The film is scheduled to be released theatrically in the United States on June 21, 2024.
When Hydra-Glide equipped models were introduced, the saddle of a smooth-riding Harley-Davidson FL motorcycle was an exciting way for many Americans to explore the country on the new network of interstate highways.
The 2024 Hydra-Glide Revival model is finished in custom Redline Red paint with a Birch White panel on fuel tank sides, the same design featured on 1956 models. Details include chrome “Harley-Davidson V” tank badges inspired by 1955-56 tank badges and “Hydra-Glide” script badges located on the front fender skirt. The serialized “Hydra-Glide Revival” insert on the handlebar riser cap and Icons Motorcycle Collection graphic on the rear fender identify this limited-production model.
Additional styling features include instrument graphics inspired by those on the 1954-55 speedometer. The two-tone 21-inch detachable windshield features a color-matched lower portion in Redline Red. A chrome round air cleaner cover and chrome steel laced wheels add to the nostalgic look. Front and rear fender trim, engine guard, fork covers, powertrain, and exhaust are finished in brilliant chrome.
A solo saddle is finished with a fringed and decorated leather valance, white seam piping and red contrast stitching, and a chrome rail for a nostalgic look. A matching black leather tank strap is embellished with studs and a concho. Leather and vinyl saddlebags are detailed with chrome conchos with acrylic red centers, chrome studs and leather fringe, white seam piping, and red contrast stitching. The saddlebags are water-resistant and have keyed locks for security, as well as a rigid liner so they will hold their shape season after season.
The bike features a counter-balanced Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-Twin tuned with a Screamin’ Eagle High-Flow air cleaner. For the rider focused on performance, this engine accepts all applicable Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle Stage Upgrade kits.
The Softail chassis hides adjustable mono-shock rear suspension below the seat. The bike also features electronic cruise control, an LED headlamp and auxiliary lamps, and standard ABS.
Global production of the Hydra-Glide Revival model will not exceed 1,750 units, and pricing starts at $24,999.
Featuring a paint and graphics scheme inspired by the classic sunburst wood finish first seen on rock and roll guitars, bass, and drums of the 1960s, the 2024 Harley-Davidson Tobacco Fade Enthusiast Motorcycle Collection celebrates the burst of collective energy released by live music at the corner tavern, at a motorcycle rally, or the live stage at the Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival. Comprising the Low Rider ST, Ultra Limited, and Tri Glide Ultra models, the Enthusiast collection of bikes is perfect for any music lover.
The Tobacco Fade paint treatment is applied by Harley-Davidson using state-of-the art precision paint tools designed to execute faded panel detailing. A rich caramel-colored pinstripe accents the tone of the metallic gold panel floating just outside the sunburst fade.
The fuel tank medallion is inspired by the shape and grooves of a vinyl record, while a graphic on the front fender shaped like a guitar pick, inspired by rock band and instrument logos, speaks directly to the details in the tank medallion. Finally, the bikes have an Enthusiast Collection branded logo on top of the Tour-Pak luggage carrier or rear fender.
Beyond the Enthusiast Motorcycle Collection special styling features, each model is mechanically identical to its 2024 lineup counterpart. Adding the Enthusiast paint and graphics scheme tacks on $1,900 to the Low Rider ST for a starting price of $25,299; $2,900 to the Ultra Limited ($35,399); and $4,000 to the Tri Glide Ultra ($41,999).
For more information, visit the Harley-Davidson website.
The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is going to be a blockbuster, of that there is no doubt. However, the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round was something quite spectacular, as new names emerged whilst others sunk despite pre-season hype. So, what did we learn? Nothing. That’s the short answer; it was a weekend that we’ve left with more questions than answers and more uncertainties than many other seasons. In any case, we put the small findings below!
Reigning WorldSSP Champion Nicolo Bulega rewrote history on Saturday as he strolled to victory from pole, perhaps one of the biggest shocks – even if he did look fast in testing. Racing is a different kettle of fish but Bulega, whilst with many things still to learn, was absolutely phenomenal on Saturday and had he not over-conserved on tyres in Race 2 on Sunday, could have been a podium man again. We know he’s going to be fast going forward and Barcelona could be a circuit where he challenges teammate Alvaro Bautista – something nobody’s done whilst the Spaniard’s been on Ducati at the track.
Having been fast throughout testing, there was an element of surprise that Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) converted into meaningful race-pace and a Sunday double in Australia. He had some serious pace in the Free Practice sessions too and with the modifications to the engine for Kawasaki, the ZX-10RR held its own in a straight line too. With a Kawasaki leading the Championship for the first time since 2022, let’s turn to Yamaha and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), who out-shone new recruit Jonathan Rea no end. Two P2s and what could’ve been a race win in Race 2 but for a last lap crash in battle, ‘Loka’ was riding exceptionally well and has clearly gelled instantly with new crew chief Tom O’Kane. Let’s see if it continues in Barcelona, not necessarily a track that Lowes nor Locatelli have shone at before. They have strong pace and you’d have got good odds on both being inside the top three overall after Round 1.
With Jonathan Rea leaving Australia with precisely 0 points and Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in contention but lacking rear tyre at the end of races – as well as the engine blow-up he suffered in Race 2 – only Alvaro Bautista featured as a real race threat in Australia. The #1, reigning double Champion, was right in contention despite languishing on row three in Superpole. He got himself into contention in Race 1 before Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) ran him wide at Turn 9 and then, when fighting back through, crashed at Turn 10. The Superpole Race saw him strong but he went back at the end and was, ironically, unable to draft by Toprak on the Gardner straight, whilst he was mugged in a final lap classic in Race 2. He didn’t win at Phillip Island and whilst he’s down on meaningful testing, there’s work to do for the #1 going forward.
We’ve already spoken of Bulega but Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) and Sam Lowes had strong races too. Iannone qualified on the front row, grabbed the holeshot in both Race 1 and the Tissot Superpole Race and walked off with a podium and a taste of ‘what could’ve been’ on Sunday morning had it not been for a handlebar grip coming off. For Lowes, a pit-stop drama in Race 1 pushed him outside the top ten but he featured in the leading group throughout the weekend, not easy with him and the team being new to WorldSBK. ‘The Maniac’ was close to a second podium in Race 2 whilst Lowes took a solid P7; Barcelona will be very interesting to keep an eye on those two.
Toprak Razgatlioglu may have stormed to an impressive podium in the Superpole Race to end BMW’s year-and-a-half wait for a podium (in just his second race) but there’s a big picture for the German manufacturer. Toprak wasn’t the only BMW looking strong; teammate Michael van der Mark blasted up the order after a P16 Superpole result to take P7 in Race 1, whilst it was another top ten in Race 2 in P9. Then, Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW), whilst not featuring as high up as he’d have liked, took P9 and P8 in a solid first weekend of the year and because of that, those three BMWs are in the top ten – don’t ask the last time we saw that. The only one that did struggle consistently through the weekend was Gerloff’s teammate Scott Redding: a P11 the only thing to write home about. As BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers said, they can leave “satisfied”.
Social media was alive with reaction on Saturday and Sunday to the new era of World Superbike and we got the start we wanted and somewhat deserved. The new rules have clearly worked and the shake-up on the grid has really jumbled up the order. Those who struggled will come good, those who were strong Down Under will come undone at some point. We really are in for a vintage year of racing but we knew that anyway. Perhaps that’s the only thing we really can learn from Phillip Island: that in racing, it’s going to be as wild as we all hoped.
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Fog was stubborn this morning at Seneca Rocks, but it couldn’t dampen my admiration for West Virginia backroads.
What I like most about motorcycles is that they lean, a trait I describe to nonriders as “dancing with a machine.” A motorcyclist can select a dance partner ranging from a svelte sportbike to a big‑boned tourer, but how well that partner performs depends on the quality of the dance floor: the road.
My favorite motorcycle dance floors are smooth asphalt ribbons that snake over mountains and along waterways, and some of the best I’ve found anywhere are West Virginia backroads. Appropriately called the Mountain State, it’s where the Allegheny, Blue Ridge, and Appalachian mountain ranges converge. With the highest average elevation of any state east of the Mississippi River, the roads curve over and around a rugged, varied landscape. The quality of road surfaces in West Virginia is generally superb (see sidebar at end of article). For riders who love to lean, it’s idyllic.
Scan QR codes above or click “Day 1,” “Day 2,” or “Day 3” to view routes on REVER
As I made my way south into West Virginia on these great winding roads, a familiar anthem played in my head, albeit somewhat revised: Asphalt heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shanandoah River….
No disrespect to John Denver, but your humble scribe gives top billing to the West Virginia backroads. I was headed to Elkins, a small city at the edge of the Monongahela National Forest in the heart of Randolph County where a group of riders had bivouacked at the Holiday Inn Express. This location offered easy access to the region’s fantastic roads and a short walk downtown to multiple options for post‑ride dinner and libations.
Next morning, I mounted my BMW R 1200 RT and joined routemeister Ed Conde for a well-planned 245‑mile loop through the Allegheny Highlands. In morning fog, our group rode south on U.S. Route 250, then turned north on State Route 28 at Thornwood. The road was fantastically curvy, though a low‑pressure warning for my rear tire was a cause for concern. After turning east on U.S. 33 at Judy Gap, we stopped at the Germany Valley scenic overlook, which was fogged in but had room for several bikes to safely pull off the road. I discovered a screw in the center of my tread, but the right tools – and folks willing to help – made for a quick repair.
Stiff winds atop Spruce Knob forced these evergreens to grow leeward.
At Franklin, we turned north on U.S. 220. Just past Upper Tract, we continued north on Smoke Hole Road. This very narrow, winding two‑way road has continuous blind corners, elevation changes, and no center line, with several curves signposted at 5 mph. In one curvy section, we had to get past a farmer whose tractor was pulling a trailer with implements sticking out the side. He pulled as far over as he could, and we squeezed by and acknowledged his effort. The pavement was not as smooth as most roads that day, but the adrenaline meter was pegged. Smoke Hole Road isn’t for the faint of heart.
Located on U.S. 33 on the way to Franklin, this convenience store looked at home in West Virginia.
We rejoined SR‑28 near Cabins and wound our way south along the North Fork South Branch Potomac River to Seneca Rocks, where ragged rock ridges reach skyward 900 feet. During World War II, American soldiers trained on these cliffs, and many applied the skills they learned to scale the cliffs of Normandy on D‑Day. These days, the rocks are popular with climbers and photographers.
Our ride had been largely within the Monongahela National Forest, and we were back in the heart of it. We rode west on U.S. 33, north on SR‑32, north on SR‑72 (Dry Fork Road, another winding, single‑lane gem), and east on U.S. 48, part of the Seneca Trail, to the hip little town of Thomas in Tucker County. At The Purple Fiddle, where “Live Music Lives,” our lunch break included a performance by a physician-musician who sang about a strained relationship with his one‑eyed grandmother: “We don’t see eye‑to‑eye.”
David Somers of Northfield, New Jersey, motored toward the summit of Spruce Knob along NF 104.
Lunch cravings satisfied, we rode north through Silver Lake and Aurora, over to Macomber, and down to Parsons. A growing part of West Virginia’s energy industry is powered by wind, and we encountered giant turbines spinning atop ridgelines. Later, riding south on deliciously winding U.S. 219, a wide‑load pilot vehicle stopped all traffic so a tractor‑trailer hauling a giant windmill blade could get through a section of tight turns. The impressive rig rolled by as we waited. The long blade had wheel‑trucks attached directly to it, turning the blade into a trailer transporting itself. As the afternoon sunshine grew warmer, we eased back to Elkins.
Out of several local restaurants near the hotel, I picked C. J. Maggie’s and joined other riders for supper at the bar. Later, as we socialized on the hotel’s back patio, the mayor of Elkins, Jerry Marco, paid us a visit. Hizzoner was gracious and welcoming, genuinely pleased to have dozens of motorcyclists staying in his city.
Truth in advertising.
In the morning, I hit the road early and solo, with more twisties and high elevations being my key goals. As I pulled my bike up off the sidestand, I felt some soreness across my chest. Rowing the handlebars of a 630‑lb sport‑tourer at a quick pace over hundreds of miles of tight curves had proved a workout.
Aiming the RT east along winding U.S. 33, I made rapid progress toward Alpena, Harman, and Onego. Asphalt heaven, West Virginia repeated in my head as smooth, curvy blacktop unfolded like a roller coaster. It was worth the 600‑mile ride from my home in western Massachusetts to ride these roads. And here’s some down‑home irony: The primary author of John Denver’s hit “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is Bill Danoff, who revealed in an interview that the song was inspired by his upbringing…in western Massachusetts! Danoff felt the word “Massachusetts” didn’t sound musical, so he wrote the song about West Virginia.
A lay-by along NF 112 offered this midmorning vista toward Circleville.
I turned north on SR‑28 for a view of Seneca Rocks, then back south to U.S. 33 and Briery Gap Road, where a right turn revealed a view of wickedly serpentine asphalt ahead. Time to apply those trackday lessons on body position.
Farther on, a right onto National Forest 112 took me through a tunnel of trees. This road was fairly smooth, suitable for a spirited but reasonable pace. Sight distances were short, and at the crest of a blind rise, an oncoming car reminded me to be wary of oncoming traffic.
Zipping along NF 112 felt like being in a tunnel of trees.
A few switchbacks added excitement, but it was repeated deer sightings that quickened my pulse. A doe suddenly appeared in the road ahead, and I hit the binders. She trained her big ears on me and then looked behind. Moments later, a wobbly, spotted fawn appeared at her side. It was captivating to see two beautiful road hazards step effortlessly up a steep incline and vanish into the woods.
Turning right onto NF 104 took me to the summit of Spruce Knob. At 4,863 feet, it’s the highest ridge in the Allegheny Mountains and the highest point in West Virginia. On this clear day, the view from Spruce Knob was spectacular.
Spectacular view from Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia.
Reversing course, I again savored those wicked twisties descending Briery Gap Road. My ears popped as I reached U.S. 33, now 3,000 feet below the summit. I stopped again at Germany Valley, this time enjoying a fog‑free view and no flat tire, then rode all the way to Brandywine in Pendleton County. I turned south on County Road 21 and rode past Sugar Grove Station, a National Security Agency communications site that reportedly intercepts all international communications entering the eastern U.S. Since I wasn’t expecting any illicit communiques that morning, I turned west to enjoy curvy Moyers Gap Road.
With no fog and no flat tire, the view of Germany Valley was beautiful.
At U.S. 220, I turned south and briefly entered Virginia (what a young boy there called “regular Virginia”). At U.S. 250, I cut right and stopped in Monterey for a late lunch at High’s Restaurant. This venerable eatery now holds the distinction of serving me the best fish sandwich I’ve ever had: rainbow trout, sourced from a local creek, fileted and grilled to perfection, and piled on a brioche bun. “Delicious” can’t do it justice.
High’s Restaurant in Monterey, Virginia, is a great spot for lunch.
As I continued north and east on U.S. 250, I rode up and down ridges and leaning through a succession of tight curves that had me laughing inside my helmet. And it was clear the instant I crossed the state border and entered Pocahontas County: Virginia’s road surfaces are good, but West Virginia’s are superb.
From Thornwood, the ride back to Elkins reversed the beginning of the previous day’s route. A fun road in the opposite direction was its own fun ride. Back at the hotel, I connected with other riders and walked downtown to another local eatery, Mama Mia Pie & Pasta. Over Italian entrees and local craft beers, we compared notes from our day’s riding.
David Somers (foreground) and Mitch Pivor of Dover, New Hampshire, motored down from the summit of Spruce Knob along NF 104.
Morning presented another opportunity to ride glorious West Virginia asphalt, this time with my long‑time riding partner Steve Efthyvoulou. Temps started cool, and the previous day’s crystal blue sky was now tarnished gray with smoke from massive wildfires in Canada. We went south on U.S. 250, a now‑familiar route out of Elkins. Turning south on SR‑28, we saw signs for the Green Bank Observatory, home of the world’s largest steerable radio telescope. Astronomy nerds will want to stop, but today we were observing asphalt, laid out before us in smooth, banked curves.
The view over Hightown, Virginia, from a lay-by along U.S. 250. Steve and I rode through that farm a few minutes later.
At SR‑66 we turned west toward Snowshoe, one of West Virginia’s premier ski resorts. It was June, so the slopes were green, and we stopped for lunch at Kickin’ Chicken. Loaded with protein, we paralleled the Tygart Valley River on U.S. 219 north to Valley Head, where a left onto SR‑15 set us up for an afternoon twist fest. The road presented often tricky curves to Webster Springs, where we picked up SR‑20 for more fantastic curves. Flat light due to the wildfire haze softened the contrast between sun and shadow, improving visibility on these technically challenging roads.
Some roads just sound enticing. This one is off U.S. 33 near Oak Flat.
Near the West Virginia State Wildlife Center, we turned right onto Alexander Road. This narrow, curvy two‑lane is full of tight corners and elevation changes, all the way to U.S. 250, where we turned north on a familiar route back to Elkins. Another amazing day was in the books. Though I had previously ridden through West Virginia several times on the way to other riding destinations, this was my first dedicated trip to ride the Mountain State – and I just scratched the surface. Without a doubt, there’s asphalt heaven on West Virginia backroads.
Randy Damron, a liaison between West Virginia’s departments of Transportation and Tourism, clued me in. Damron rides a Honda Gold Wing and a Kawasaki KLR, so he understands the motorcycling community. He explained that the improved quality of the state’s roads in recent years owes much to “Roads to Prosperity,” a road construction and maintenance initiative to support West Virginia residents, industry, and tourism.
Transportation and Tourism partnered to create four West Virginia Mountain Rides (with more on the way) that are in excellent condition, have good shoulders and guardrails, and run through beautiful scenery. The Seneca Skyway, for example, is a signposted 300-mile loop that includes several roads covered in this story. Go to the West Virginia Department of Tourism website and click on “Road Trips” to learn more.
The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship stormed into action last weekend and what a start to the season it was, with records smashed at every possibility as well new characters emerging into contenders. We look at the rookies and how they went over the weekend, with a pretty obvious place to start.
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) – second in the standings, a maiden race winner
The reigning WorldSSP Champion became the first rider to achieve a WorldSSP and WorldSBK pole in consecutive events but that isn’t the big claim; a maiden pole and maiden win in his maiden race, only John Kocinski managed that before. He looked comfortable on the bike in Race 1 and had to deal with a pit-stop, which he got absolutely perfect too. After that and once he broke clear of the pack, he eased to victory. However, there’re still aspects to learn; dealing with being bullied in the opening laps is one, as he dropped down to P10 in Race 2 as well as not being afraid of scrapping it out in the first stages. It’s a dog eat dog world in WorldSBK, there’s no time to chill.
Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) – fourth overall, maiden podium and good race craft
What can we say about Andrea Iannone? ‘The Maniac’ is back to World Championship competition with a bang and got the holeshot in his first two races back too. He rolled back the years with some vintage Iannone passes and it really was like he’d never been away. A podium in his maiden race was sublime and it was a story of what could have been in the Superpole Race, had a handlebar grip not come off; he was looking on for a victory. That shoved him down field on the grid for Race 2 but he came through and was still near to the podium, so the race craft is there and he’s not ring rusty like we perhaps expected him to be. Let’s see how he goes in Barcelona and beyond but it was a promising start for life in WorldSBK for #29.
Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) – 11th overall but results don’t tell the story
It was a solid debut for Sam Lowes in WorldSBK, with he and the ELF Marc VDS squad in the mix throughout the weekend and taking a double top eight on Sunday, with a best result of P7 in Race 2. All the results came after a huge crash at Turn 12 in Free Practice 3, so it wasn’t the most ideal way to kickstart the first of two race days. The pit intervention time was something new for him and the team and he lost 5.4s there, which may have put him inside the top ten for Race 1. However, good time in the lead pack and an encouraging base to build from on slightly more indicative tracks.
Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) – the hardest round out the way
There was little to expect from Tarran Mackenzie, given that he’s had limited testing and that it’s the first weekend of the year but having been 3.9s off in Superpole to then, after 11 laps, being 3.6s off Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) ahead of him. All in all, Tarran can be satisfied and again, with more ‘normal’ tracks ahead and places he knows well like Donington Park and Assen, he’ll be a bit closer to the front.
Adam Norrodin (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) – similar to teammate Mackenzie
Again, for Malaysian hopeful Adam Norrodin, there was very little he could have hoped for more. Maybe the target for him was to be closer or ahead of Tarran but with the #95’s Superbike experience, it wasn’t a bad display for Norrodin to be where he was. Both will be wanting more one-lap performance and to work their way closer to the points but as we’ve seen in previous years with Midori Moriwaki’s team, that will come through the season. Let’s see how their gap evolves to the factory Hondas throughout the year.
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Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) made his Ducati debut in the FIM Supersport World Championship with mixed fortunes. A maiden pole position and a podium in Race 2 were the highlights for the Spaniard at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, while an issue before lights out in Race 1 took him out of contention. It was a strong start for the #99 following his switch from Kawasaki machinery to the Panigale V2, even if results across the whole weekend didn’t reflect his pace.
Huertas had been competitive through the off-season, and during the Official Test, as he adapted from the Kawasaki ZX-6R to the Panigale V2. In the sole Free Practice session on Friday morning, the Spaniard was three tenths off Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) out in front, before finding a huge amount of time in the Tissot Superpole session. His 1’31.407s – a new lap record – secured him a maiden pole position for Race 1.
However, a technical issue just before lights out meant his bike was taken off the grid and the Spaniard was unable to take part in the race. With the Race 2 grid for the first three rows based on the fastest laps set in Race 1, the Madrid-born rider started tenth for Sunday’s race. He was able to charge through the field to finish third, his first WorldSSP podium, finishing just 1.658s away from Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) who took both victories Down Under.
Discussing his Race 2 rostrum, Huertas said: “It was a really difficult weekend although we were really strong at this track. Starting from tenth was quite difficult because I needed to push too much at the beginning. I struggled with the tyres a little bit, and just as the leaders pushed in the last laps, I couldn’t catch them. I am happy with the pace I’ve shown, the work I’ve done with the team, and we solved the problem from Race 1 on Saturday. I think we will keep getting better together and having good results.”
Huertas made his WorldSSP debut in 2022 after taking the 2021 WorldSSP300 title, racing with what was then the MTM Kawasaki outfit. He was close to the podium on several occasions, taking a best finish of fourth, but was just shy of the rostrum. However, in his first round with Ducati, the #99 was able to take his first podium and speaking after Race 2, Huertas explained how important it was for him to get the first one as he looks to mount a title challenge.
He said: “I think it’s so important, more for the team than me, because I wanted to show them that we are all a team, and we can do good things together. This is good for the Championship overall, not just the points because we lost some points this weekend, but for our future and our relationship together.”
Phillip Island, one of the greatest racetracks in the world, was the venue for an incredible opening WorldSBK round last weekend, but if you were the boss of the series and money (and circuit homologation) was no object, which track would you add to the WorldSBK calendar, and why? Source: Jonathan Rea On Facebook
It was a winless 2023 where he came so close, yet to far, on many occasions; however, 2024 started with a big declaration of intent as he came good from the start Down Under. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) leads the Championship with a perfect 50 points from the first two races of the year and with 22 still to go, anything can happen but that can also mean he will get stronger.
Race 1 saw Montella pull a masterstroke in the pitlane with a perfectly-timed pits-stop. He was 0.6s over the 78-second pit intervention time, so not quite Nicolo Bulega levels of perfection in World Superbike but pretty good nonetheless. He then rolled it home after checking out from the opposition, finishing with an advantage of 6.666s seconds – he was a devil after all. In Race 2, which didn’t feature a pit-stop due to it being shortened, things were much closer as Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) kept the Italian honest until the flag, although it wasn’t enough to deny him a double.
Speaking after the round had finished, Montella said: “It’s been really incredible for sure; I think it was something that nobody expected. I’m happy; I want to stay focused on the next race but at the same time enjoy the moment. Race 2 was a strange race because after all of the delay, we tried to stay focused. My plan was to push on the first lap to make a gap and it worked, so I’m happy for that.”
Continuing about whether Montella’s Championship lead changes his mentality for the overall picture and the title charge, he stated: “It’s just the first race and I have 22 in front of me. My focus is on Barcelona and the Championship is something I am not thinking about. Last year, Barcelona was the worst race of last year but I hope to be better, to show the potential like this. Then, let’s see how it goes.”
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Dorna WSBK Organization proudly unveils the integration of the Yamalube R3 bLU cRU Latinoamérica into the SBK® Roadway programme for the 2024 season. In partnership with FIM Latina America, this series seeks to establish a vital platform for emerging talents in motorcycle racing within Latin America.
The 2024 Yamalube R3 bLU cRU Latinoamérica series, spanning from April to November, serves as a developmental stepping stone for talented riders to showcase their skills and progress within the realm of motorcycle racing.
The championship will serve as a roadway for the winner of the “Talent” category (ages 14-19) to secure a two-year deal for participation in the FIM Yamaha R3 bLU cRU World Cup. Additionally, the runner-up will receive financial backing from Yamaha Racing Brasil for one season, marking a key progression towards the global stage.
Helio Ninomiya, Yamaha Motor Brasil Commercial Director said: “The entire trajectory of growth and achievements of the Latin American R3 bLU cRU championship is a source of great pride and the result of a lot of effort. Seeing this work recognized internationally gives us more determination, strength, and focus to move forward.”
Gregorio Lavilla, WorldSBK Executive Director added: “The inclusion of the Yamalube R3 bLU cRU Cup Latin America into the SBK® Roadway programme is a significant step in the global expansion of opportunities for emerging talents in motorcycle racing. We are thrilled to witness the growth and recognition of the Latin American championship, and we believe this initiative will provide a crucial platform for young riders to develop their skills and pave the way for a future in WorldSBK. We look forward to seeing the impact of this collaboration and the continued success of the Yamalube R3 bLU cRU Cup Latin America on the international racing scene.”
2024 Yamalube R3 bLU cRU Latinoamérica Calendar
1- April 26-28 / Goiania 2- May 24-26 / Curvelo 3- June 28-30 / Interlagos 4- August 16-18 / Cascavel 5- October 18-20 / Santa Cruz do Sul 6- November 8-10 / Goiania
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